AD8 - Sacramento County

What are Assembly District Delegates?

Every two years, the CA Democrats elect 7 self-identified females and 7 other than self-identified females from each Assembly District in CA as delegates to the state party. Those who are elected will have a chance to vote for the new party chair and other leadership. The race is hotly contested and will determine how welcoming, grassroots-focused and innovative the party becomes or how beholden it will remain to big money interests.

BRYAN REESE

PAUL WOODS

Grassroots Manager, Consumer Attorneys of California

JACK ZWALD

Education Budget Analyst/Democratic Club President

Detailed Information

KENDRA NOEL LEWIS

I am a focused, committed activist for civil rights and justice for all. I have been a member of the Democratic party since turning 18. Currently, I am the President of the Elk Grove South County Democratic Club, the 3rd largest club in the region. I am the Vice Chair of the Democratic Party of Sacramento County. I have been an activist since my college days fighting against prop 209, 187, and the young republicans on campus. My activism and commitment to the Democratic Party come from my grandparents who were refugees from the Jim Crow South and extremely active in San Francisco politics. I believe in the platform and the principles of the Democratic Party. I work tirelessly at the grassroots level to engage communities that feed on the sidelines of politics. I focus on growing our base with voter registration and a commitment to ensuring that vulnerable communities have a voice at the table. I am tenacious and committed to holding politicians accountable to the principles of the Party.

I have been a professional fundraiser and nonprofit administrator since 1996, dedicated to the field of fundraising/development and non-profit administration. I have a BA in History from California State University, Fresno. I received a Certificate of Development from the University of San Francisco’s Nonprofit Management Program. I have experience in all areas of non-profit administration (special events, planned giving, major giving, grant writing, operations, program development, corporate and foundation development).

I am the past Vice President of the Sacramento YWCA (the first YWCA in California), currently a board member of Traveler’s Aid, a 125-year old Sacramento institution, Treasurer of the San Francisco Community Land Trust, Sacramento Urban Debate League, co-chair of the national organization Girls Who Code Parent Advisory Committee, and a founding member of the Sacramento County African American Coalition. I have received the Community Advocate Award, presented by National Coalition of 100 Black Women, the Rising Star Award from the Business Women’s Network, am a recipient of the Un-Sung Hero Award from the Greater Sacramento NAACP, and have been profiled on the OPEN American Express Success Stories Network and profiled in Sacramento Magazine, 20 Women We Admire.

KERRI ASBURY

I ran for an ADEM delegate spot for the first time in 2007 in what was then AD5. I have served as a delegate every year starting in 2007 as either an ADEM or county party delegate. I stay for the whole convention, casting my votes and serving out my responsibility. For many years I also served as an E-Board rep. I served on the Platform Committee for two cycles. I served as the chair of the Democratic Party of Sacramento County for three terms beginning in 2011. I am excited to return to ADEM and be a delegate as the CDP evolves through the recent and upcoming changes, and continues to lead the way in the work for healthcare for all. As a special education teacher, and proud member of California Teachers Association, high quality and accessible public education is also a passion of mine. I hope to earn your vote and look forward to representing the 8th Assembly District.

ZIMA CREASON

I am a parent, advocate, mental health policy expert, and businesswoman that has worked in the mental health policy and education field since 2001. Currently, I serve as the President and CEO of Mental Health America of California (MHAC), and was elected as a San Juan School Board Trustee in 2018. I am committed to coalition building and stakeholder empowerment/engagement.

I serve in a variety of volunteer capacities. I am appointed to the Sacramento County Children’s Coalition, appointed to the California Department of Education Student Mental Health Policy Workgroup, a member of the My Sister’s House Friends Committee, and a member of the National Institute of Mental Health Outreach Partnership Steering Committee.

I am dedicated to supporting young people to avoid crisis outcomes in adulthood, mental health and wellness, social justice, and for all Americans to have access/opportunity to achieve the American Dream regardless of zip code, culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender identification and/or who they love.

CATHERINE B KENNEDY RN, PHN

My name is Catherine Kennedy, and I have been a Registered Nurse for the past 38 years, and have seen the lives of ordinary people struggle when one medical crisis has caused financial ruin. As a mother, grandmother, nurse and community activist, and as your elected AD 8 delegate, I will continue to advocate, agitate and educate my community on the importance of access to healthcare, and demand that healthcare is a human right and not just for the privileged. As a Nurse, our values of Community, Caring and Compassion says it all.

MAGALI KINCAID

My name is Magali Kincaid, and I am a passionate advocate for economic and social justice in our communities. Growing up in South Central, Los Angeles, I was able to see first-hand the struggles of working people, including discrimination, violence and poverty. These disparities do not begin to change unless we have diverse people making decisions with a deep understanding and eye towards justice for all.

I’m running for a delegate seat to ensure there is a diverse voice with values and a strong conviction to end disparities that affect the working class, and working class people of color. I’m running to ensure those in power are transparent and accessible and focus on what’s important- protecting the most vulnerable communities in California. The Democratic Party must have a set of comprehensive policies that protect us all including an immigration policy that prioritizes families staying together, Medicare for all and a policy that focuses on addressing income inequality.

Today, as an education advocate and mother of three, I know how important it is to have an array of community members making critical decisions on the issues we care about the most. I will fight to make sure we are all represented and that our collective progressive voices are heard.

BELINDA E. MALONE (BEEKS)

I am running for Assembly District Delegate as a progressive candidate. I have been an activist for over fifteen years. As a delegate, I would like to be a strong voice for my constituents in the district, and to continue the work of the Party. I am big proponent of transparency, accountability, and working together for the better good.

I am also a labor leader in the Sacramento area who represents over 1,600 members and I understand the core values of working families.

If elected, I pledge to you I will serve to the best of my ability with honor and integrity. I am committed to working as a team to further the interests of our community and the Party.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration!

JODY Z PRATT

I currently serve as an Assembly District Delegate in AD 8, and would like to continue in that position as we move towards the all-important 2020 election cycle. As a delegate, I have rolled up my sleeves and dug in to improve our Party at the grassroots level. This past year I drafted, and saw adopted by our California Democratic Party a resolution, jointly sponsored by the Veteran’s Caucus and the African American Caucus, condemning the NFL owners and Donald Trump for their wholesale disregard of the First Amendment rights of the NFL players.

I also serve as the First Vice Chair of the CADEM Veteran’s Caucus, having served in the United States Air Force during 1974-1975. In that position, I have participated in panel discussions regarding military and veteran’s status, issues, and rights. Our caucus also sponsored a resolution supporting the rights of deported veterans. I am currently working on a resolution that would condemn any attempt to privatize veteran’s medical care.

I am a former small-county Public Defender, and now serve as a Deputy Attorney General, prosecuting elder abuse and provider Medi-Cal fraud.

I was a proud Bernie Sanders delegate to the 2016 National convention in Philadelphia. I have been involved in various political campaigns since Eugene McCarthy ran for president. I consider myself a lifelong and loyal progressive Democrat, and I know there is much work to be done. California leads the nation, both within and outside of our party. We are courageous, and frequently at the forefront of bold ideas. I want to be part of that momentum as we head towards 2020.

As the mother of two adult sons, and grandma to two young boys, I feel additional urgency to push for a clean earth, social justice for all, and no more thoughtless wars.

I would be proud to continue serving my Assembly district in this vital role for the next two years, and would appreciate your vote. I look forward to serving with my 13 slate-members to achieve progressive goals, and advance progressive ideals, such as healthcare for all, campaign finance reform, and tuition-free higher education.

TANWEER AHMAD

I am a software engineer by trade, and understand deeply the problems technology can solve, such as the increased productivity that can arise from better and faster communications. I have strong concerns around the challenges that can arise from technology, such as the human impact of greater automation and the biases inherent in data that people may tend to ignore as technology moves forward. I spent years working in cancer research, with hands on experience dealing with the complexities and challenges of public health as an issue that affects us all. In my current work consulting in the private sector, my days consist of finding practical solutions to the actual problems that people and businesses face.

I am quite passionate about solving the issues that plague our society, including supporting labor, single payer healthcare for all, climate change action, race and gender issues, and corporate money in politics. All change must start with individuals, so I intend to bring to the table my perspective as a child of immigrants, a father, a problem solver, and simply a person who cares.

RICKY-RIC BARRETO

Hi everyone. My name is Ricky-Ric Barreto & I’m an advocate & activist for not only my union members of the American Postal Workers Union vs management, but also as a Progressive fighting to reform our party as well as in society at large.

As a current delegate, I bring to the table a background that includes fighting on winning campaigns for Overtime for Farmworkers, the Fight For $15 Campaign, and stopping a Republican and industry-backed legislation for restricting, in effect, Asbestos lawsuits to name a few.

As an out Gay man, who has lost housing and jobs, to include fighting for my military career and losing during DADT, as well as being homeless several times in my life, including as a child, this has added to a fighting spirit and being an advocate for my fellow sisters and brothers. Yes, I do give a damn and am fearless! A vote for me is a vote for progress. Thank you.

AARON M. MINER

I did not expect to become an activist—at least not one involved in party politics. As an independent author and recent college graduate, I saw myself as participating in the political process primarily through my own work, augmented by attending city council meetings and participating in the odd cause or two. But the times demand more of us, and they demand more of me. My generation has inherited a world on fire, balanced eternally on the precipice of ecological, economic, and political disaster. Our so-called President possesses every characteristic of a tyrant, while the Democratic establishment remains too timid to offer real solutions to the crises of climate change, economic inequality, racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, perpetual warfare and corporate hegemony that the Trump administration perpetuates and inflames. The times demand a strong Progressive movement, and a Democratic party under progressive control.

I am proud to have advanced that cause as Legislative Director of the Wellstone Progressive Democrats of Sacramento. At Wellstone, I helped secure crucial votes from moderate Democrats to pass California SB 33, a bill designed to prevent banks like Wells Fargo from defrauding its customers. I served as our delegate to the 2018 pre-endorsement caucus, and as an alternate to the 2018 CDP Convention. I volunteered extensively to elect City Councilwoman Porsche Middleton, whose victory created a progressive foothold in my home of Citrus Heights.

Democrats have no place in 21st-century politics if they cannot enact Medicare-for-All, a federal job guarantee, and a Green New Deal. They must field genuine progressives who have the courage to abolish ICE, guarantee housing to all, strengthen labor unions, and end police brutality. California must remain a sanctuary state, and rebuild the communities razed by the Camp Fire according to the needs of their citizens—not wealthy investors. We must charter state and local public banks to invest in poor communities, communities of color, and public works. Furthermore, we must cultivate worker-owned and operated firms (a.k.a. worker cooperatives) as an alternative to, and replacement for, corporate oligarchy.

The Party must also let ordinary Democrats lead it, not officials and donors, and reject corporate funding. In serving AD8, I will not only press for adopting and enacting a bold progressive agenda, but advance reforms to the CDP itself. I humbly request your support.

JOHN R. PARKER, JR.

California can lead the rest of the country in the direction of positive, progressive change. The way forward is for the California Democratic Party to represent the interests of the working class instead of the donor class. I am a lawyer who fights for the rights of ordinary people against multinational corporations and insurance companies, and as an ADEM representative I want to continue that fight for California’s families. I knocked on hundreds of doors for Bernie with my three children in 2016 and I am a member of the CAOC and the Sacramento DSA chapter.

BRYAN REESE

I am an unapologetic progressive, feminist, activist, and professional game designer. My job is to analyze systems, find the problems, and then solve them. I would love the opportunity to take these skills to the California Democratic Party and help guide progressive leaders in Sacramento.

Born and raised in AD 8, I have never moved from the area in my (almost) 38 years on earth. If I have my druthers, I will live here my whole life. As a father of two and husband to a disabled wife, I personally know the struggles of working-class families in the district and know what these families need. Affordable housing. Affordable and accessible healthcare. Affordable childcare. Good jobs with a safe work environment that pay a living wage. A stable safety net and ladder, buttressed by Social Security and Medicare. A Green tomorrow for our children. Public education from Pre-K to college/vocational training. Rights and Voices for our workers. And countless more needs. I know these needs because I live these needs. I am an activist because I live these needs. I live the struggles of the working-class family, as do my friends and their families.

If an unapologetic progressive agenda sounds good to you, please vote for Reese. Thank you.

PAUL WOODS

As a life-long Democrat, a progressive and a veteran, I would be honored to serve as an elected delegate to the California Democratic Party. I was raised in a liberal household, which instilled in me the importance of service, led me to join the U.S. Navy, and later pursue a career in politics and public service. As a father, I want to ensure that all Californians have access to quality public education; I want to ensure that all parents can raise their children in a safe community, with clean air and water. As a Californian who has been through the experience of losing healthcare, I want to fight to ensure all Californians have universal access to care; as a Democrat I reject the injustice of a system that allows the Insurance industry to place profits before people. As a husband I support marriage equality. I believe in economic justice and reject policies that contribute to the widening chasm between haves and have not’s; I support strong unions, both public and private, which serve as a check against the avarice of Corporate America. As a veteran I want to fight to ensure all veterans have access to services they have earned and rightly deserve. And as a veteran I want to see our service members come home and our foreign wars come to an end. As someone who fights daily in my job to defend access to the civil justice system, I believe strongly in a robust civil justice system and that system’s ability to hold malfeasant actors accountable. For these reasons and more I am a Democrat. I would be humbled to have your support.

JACK ZWALD

My name is Jack Zwald, and I am running for Assembly District Delegate to ensure the California Democratic Party focuses on fighting climate change, protecting public education, and achieving economic equality.

As a Delegate, I will vote to ensure that California continues to aggressively decarbonize our economy. I will support candidates who value public schools, who commit to protecting students’ and teachers’ rights, and who understand affordable college is a right. I will back pro-union measures and measures making the wealthy pay their fair share.

I was active in the Democratic Party before I was even old enough to vote, working with the Davis College Democrats to boost youth voter registration. I later served as Vice Chair of the Yolo Democratic Party, organizing its 2010 Coordinated Campaign.

I am currently President of the UC Davis College Democrats Alumni. Since 2016, I raised thousands of dollars, organized trainings, and coordinated GOTV operations for the Davis College Democrats. I am proud to have engaged over one hundred volunteers to knock on thousands of doors for progressive candidates in tight races, including Representative-elect Josh Harder in the Central Valley, Representative-elect Harley Rouda in Orange County, and U.S. Senator-Elect Jacky Rosen in Nevada.

I am active in the community as Vice Chair of the Sacramento County Public Health Advisory Board and President of the Kiwanis Club of Rancho Cordova. As a Public Health Advisory Board member, I am most proud of my work to restore reproductive health services to thousands of students at the Los Rios Community College District. I worked with the Board of Supervisors and campus leadership to restore clinics offering sexual transmitted infection treatment, birth control services, and MediCal enrollment assistance.

In short, I am a lifelong Democrat with a passion for service. I hope I can count on your vote.